Method of recovering the ingredients from waste roofing, &amp;c.



l. S. JOSEPH.

METHOD OF RECOVERING THE INGREDIENTS FROM WASTE ROOFING, cILc.

APFLICATION FILED NOV. 1. I916- Patented. Jan. 15, 1918.

l FIGQ Invvnv s. JosErH, or a a 1: var, ivnvv annsnv,

To all whom it may concern: 3

i Be it known that I, IRWIN S. Josnrn, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Rahway, in the cdunty of Union and State 5 of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Recovering the Ingredients from Waste Roofing, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method for reclaiming the ingredients from scraps .or pieces of plastic strip-roofing or the like, such as is well known in the roofing-trade today, having a bituminous binder.

One type, for instance, of roofing of this character comprises a layer of felt or simi-- lar fabric impregnated with asphalt and having a granular superficial layer of hard mineralsubstance, such as slate. In the cutting and other operations-about the factories where such roofing material is made, a large quantity of the material goes to waste as scraps, notwithstanding the fact that the;

1n dients thereof, if recovered, would provi e substantial amounts of reusable material. On account of the manner in which this roofing is made, it is practically impossible to efiectively separate the ingredients thereof by any so-called dry process.

According to my invention as hereinafter described, the several ingredients are recovered from the waste material, by a process so simple and inexpensive as to render the same highly practicable, which, of course, is the feature of primary consideration in operations of this nature.

Briefly, the invention comprises the introduction of the waste pieces of roofing into a li uid separating-medium immiscible with the ituminous material, of greater specific gravity and maintained at a temperature sufiiciently high to efi'ect melting of the bituminous material and thereby disengage [the fabric and stone-particles. The bitumi- 415 nous material may be withdrawn from the top of the separating-medium, while the other ingredients can be removed from the lower portion of the medium.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing,

wherein lEi 1 1 is a plan view of a piece of roof- Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed November 1', 191a serial no. iaaew.

ing-strip made from materials which the present process is intended to recover;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same; and

Fig. 3 illustrates a suitable apparatus in which the process may be carried out.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 the roofing-material may comprise a lower layer 1 of felt or other fabric lmpregnated with bituminous material, such as asphalt, and a surface coat 3 of granular slate, slag or rock, rolled in the well known manner upon the impregnated fabric, or into its additional asphalt covering 2 which is sometimes applied.

In carrying out the process of the present invention, the scraps of such roofing-material are introduced into a vessel 4, having a removable cover 4',-and containing preferably a saturated solution 5 of the salt, such as sodium chlorid, suflicient heat being applied by the introduction of steam through the perforated coil 6 to efiect melting of the asphalt contained in the pieces and consequent release of the felt and hard mineral substance. The asphalt or other bituminous material thereupon immediately rises to the surface of the separating-medium 5, as indicatedby the numeral 7, whilethe heavier ingredients 7 consisting, forinstance, of slate and felt, gravitate to the bottom of the vessel, from which they may be withdrawn through the valved outlet 8. The asphalt may be conveniently withdrawn through the valved outlet 9. Fresh salt solution may be supplied as needed through the inlet-pipe 10.

If desired the withdrawn asphalt may be further treated for refinement, or it may be utilized in substantially its recovered condition in the manufacture of new roofing-material. The heavy portions 7, withdrawn from the vessel l'through the outlet 8, are subjected to a further treatment for the separation of the mineral substance from the felt. Such separation may be efiected by flotation, as indicated in the drawing, or it may be accomplished by a vibrated belt or other known contrivance.

In this manner, substantially all of the ingredients may be recovered and utiliaed in the pre aratlon of fresh roofing, this not having een hitherto attempted because of the necessary trouble and expense incident to the processes heretofore suggd.

yariety,

I claim The method of recovering the in redients from waste roofing of the asphaltelt-stone comprising introducing the waste roofing into a liquid separating-medium immiscible with the asphalt, of greater specific gravity and maintained at a temperature sufficiently high to eifect melting of the asphalt and disengagement of the felt and stone, separately recovering the asphalt, felt 10 and stone from the solution, and thereafter mechanically separating the felt and stone.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IRWIN S. JOSEPH. Witnesses:

A. J. SCHWINDINGER, T. M. VAN DERVEER. 

